Guru Angad Dev Ji

Guru Angad Dev ji was born as Lehna in 1504 AD at Matte Di Sarai (Sarai Naga), district Shri Mukstar Sahib of Punjab in India. His father's name was Bhai Pheru Mall ji & his mother's name was Mata Sabhrai ji. In 1520, Bhai Lehna was married to Mata Khivi ji. Mata Khivi ji gave birth to two sons namely - Dasu & Datu, and two daughters namely - Amro & Anokhi. When Babur invaded India, Lehna ji's father's family left their ancestral village and got settled at Khadur Sahib.

Bhai Lehna ji was a devotee of Goddess Durga. Every year, he used to lead a group of pilgrims to the Jwalamukhi temple. One early morning, Bhai Lehna ji heard Bhai Jodha singing the hymns of Asa Di War. After hearing these hymns, his mind was filled with peace & joy. When he came to known that Guru Nanak Dev ji has composed these hymns, he made up his mind to meet the guru. At the time of yearly pilgrimage to Jwalamukhi temple, Lehna ji proceeded through Kartarpur to meet Guru Nanak Dev ji. The every first meeting transformed Bhai Lehna ji to such an extent that he decided to become a sikh of Guru Nanak. He dedicated him in the service of Guru Sahib and started living at Kartarpur. At Kartarpur, Lehna ji worked in the fields, used to serve in the community kitchen and used to sing hymns of Guru Nanak ji along with other sikhs.

On September 7, 1539 AD Guru Nanak Dev Ji selected Lehna ji as second sikh guru and named him as Guru Angad Dev. Angad means "one's own limb". Guru Angad Dev Ji is also revered as Second Nanak.

After Guru Nanak Dev ji left the mortal body, it was after few months that Guru Angad Dev ji took over the Guruship bestowed to him. He left Kartarpur and went to a place near Khadur. He was in the state of pain & grief after separation from his beloved master, and so he locked himself in a room in solitude. It was only after that Baba Budha ji & other sikh men persuaded him to come out of the seclusion and perform the duties entrusted to him by Baba Nanak. The first hymn of Gurbani uttered by Guru Angad ji, is mentioned in Guru Granth Sahib Ji / Ang 83 as:

ਜਿਸੁ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਸਿਉ ਨੇਹੁ ਤਿਸੁ ਆਗੈ ਮਰਿ ਚਲੀਐ ॥

ਧ੍ਰਿਗੁ ਜੀਵਣੁ ਸੰਸਾਰਿ ਤਾ ਕੈ ਪਾਛੈ ਜੀਵਣਾ ॥੨॥

jis piaare siau nehu tis aagai mar chaleeai |
dhrig jeevan sansaar taa kai paachhai jeevanaa |2|

"Die before the One whom you love ; to live after he dies is to live a worthless life in this world".

This gurbani quote by second sikh guru signifies the pain & grief he felt after getting separated from Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

INVENTION OF GURMUKHI SCRIPT

Guru Angad Dev ji formalised the present form of the Gurmukhi script by modifying the old Punjabi script's characters. Before that mahajani script was the medium but it did not had any vowel sounds, so it became difficult for the reader to decipher the writing. The invention of Gurmukhi script was an essential step as it gave the common people a language that is easy to write & understand. He took great interest in educating children and started the first school of Gurmukhi. He travelled widely to far off places and established new centers for preaching Sikhi.

Guru Angad Dev ji contributed 63 Saloks (verses) which were later included in Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The second sikh guru consolidated the hymns composed by Guru Nanak ji, and this was more important as the community was growing.

JANAM SAAKHI

Guru Angad Dev ji also called upon Bhai Paira Mokha ji, who used to live at Sultanpur Lodhi. Mokha ji was very well versed in Gurmukhi. So Guru Angad Dev ji asked Bhai Mokha ji, Bhai Bala ji & Bhai Buddha ji to write the Janam Saakhi. Every detail of Guru Nanak ji's was collected and discussed and then Bhai Mokha ji wrote it. Janam Saakhi was completed in an year. This janam saakhi is known as Bhai Bala wali janam saakhi.

ESTABLISHMENT OF MALL AKHARA

Guru Angad Dev Ji was a great patron of wrestling and therefore he founded Mall Akhara system, where he encouraged all the devotees to get involved in physical exercises like wrestling & martial arts. Mall Akhara means wrestling arena. According to Guru Sahib, a sound mind can only exist in a sound body. So, he emphasized on maintaining a healthy body by exercising daily and staying away from toxic substances (tobacco or liquor). He organised wrestling matches and encouraged everyone to participate in it. This step was very crucial in breaking the societal norms because at that time people of lower caste could not have any physical contact with the people of the higher caste. Guru Angad Dev ji was able to build a healthy Sikh community that was well educated & spiritually enlightened.

MAINTAINING THE TRADITION OF LANGAR

Guru Nanak Dev ji started Langar & Guru Angad Dev ji further maintained & developed the institution. All the offerings made by the devotees went to the community fund. Following the principle of Kirat Karo, Guru Angad ji used to earn his own living by twisting coarse grass into strings that were used to make cots. Mata Khivi ji (his wife) worked in the kitchen and served food to all the visitors & sewaks. She made sure that the best ingredients were used, cooked food was nutritious and distributed to all with utmost courtesy. Her instrumental role & sewa is even recorded in Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (Ang 967) -

" Balwand says that Khivi, the Guru's wife, is a noble woman, who gives soothing, leafy shade to all. She distributes the bounty of the Guru's Langar; the kheer - the rice pudding and ghee, is like sweet ambrosia."

DEATH & SUCCESSION

Guru Angad Dev ji left his mortal body on 29th March 1552 AD. Before leaving his physical body, Guru Angad Dev ji declared Guru Amardas ji as the third sikh guru or the third Nanak. Amardas ji served Guru Angad ji with unwavering dedication. Amardas ji woke up early in the morning and used to fetch water for his master's bath. After 11 years of relentless service, Amardas ji was selected for the guruship.